Passport to the stars

The xenophobes hated it, but Arsenals 16-strong squad of imports in midweek pointed to a League in the best of health

Arsenal’s selection last Monday of a 16-strong squad without a single Englishman brought out that hardiest of perennials, Johnny Foreigner stunting the growth of native talent. “It’s A Disgrace,” thundered the Daily Mail, never a newspaper to underplay any perceived threat from across the Channel.

Deprived by injury of Ashley Cole and Sol Campbell, his two England defenders, Arsène Wenger started with 11 imports and had five more on the bench for the 5-1 drubbing of Crystal Palace, thereby sparking debate in pubs and workplaces from Gravesend to Gretna. It is a familiar topic, and one that was addressed in these columns by this correspondent in 1996, when I was upbraided by the then sports editor for suggesting a limit of six foreigners per team — a similar idea to that proposed by Uefa for next year.

Times and circumstances change and opinions can change with them. The quality of the